2020 OMAHA

E-SCOOTER
PILOT REPORT
Febuary 2021
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary
33

Shared Mobility Background and Context 5

City of Omaha 2020 E-Scooter Pilot 6

Public Engagement and Education 10

2020 E-Scooter Pilot Findings 11

Scooter Survey 23

Pilot Financials 25

Statistics and Data Collection 26

Conclusions and Recommendations 27

Appendix 29

Acknowledgements and Contributors 30
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In May of 2019, scooters were deployed within the City of Omaha for a six month pilot. The
City analyzed data, deployed a survey to gather feedback from Omaha’s citizens, and began sum-
marizing results of the pilot in order to inform future decisions. A total of 208,847 scooter rides
demonstrated there was a significant market for electric scooters in Omaha and strong potential
demand for the type of transportation service that dockless micro mobility (primarily scooters and
bicycles) options can provide. Through consideration of the analysis and feedback received from
the 2019 pilot program, the Parking & Mobility Division recommended to the Administration
that a second pilot be considered.

The second pilot would focus on five

areas: Scooter Design and Composi-
tion, Rider Safety, Traffic and Parking
Regulations, Injury Recording and
Reporting, Education and Outreach.
In the early spring of 2020 before the
second pilot was scheduled to begin
the world encountered a global health
crisis known as COVID-19. A second
pilot was voted on and passed by City
Council on July 14, 2020.

In order to meet requirements per-

taining to Scooter Design and Com-
position the scooter companies sup-
plied the city with their most up to
date model of scooter for the 2020
pilot. Rider Safety, Traffic and Park-
ing Regulations, and Education and
Outreach goals were supplied to
scooter users by both companies
sharing information on their web-
sites, through email, social media and
also enacting digital Rider Safety in-
formation and campaigns including
health guidelines. The Parking and
Mobility Division was successful in
working with Nebraska DHHS to
achieve the programmatic goal to
obtain monthly reports for scooter
related injuries.

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION

E-SCOOTER REPORT | 3
 Transportation during the
COVID-19 Pandemic
With the onset of COVID-19 we expected the total number of rides to be far less than the
previous year. Knowing that the ridership totals would be down, we wanted to take a better
look at the total number of rides used for mobility due to the fact that many users may be us-
ing the e-scooter as an alternate form of transportation due to health and safety reasons. The
average trip distance increased from 1.14 miles to 1.46 miles. The average trip duration in-
creased from 15 minutes and 43 seconds to 18 minutes and 26 seconds.

Using the ride data compiled during the pilot, the survey answers we received and a total of
36,283 scooter rides taking place during the second pilot, the Parking & Mobility Division rec-
ommends to the Administration that Dockless e-Scooters be considered as a form of mobility
in the City of Omaha for long term usage. We recommend that a long term program focus on
the below areas:

1. Equity

2. Parking Infrastructure

3. Comprehensive approach to Multimodal Transportation

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION

DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 4
 Shared Mobility
Background and Context
According to the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), “shared micro-
mobility encompases all shared-use fleets of small, fully or partially human-powered vehicles such as
bicycles, e-bikes, and e-scooters.” Shared micromobility provides quick and convenient options for
taking short trips in urban areas. Until 2018, the vast majority of shared micromobility trips in the
US were taken with station-based bikeshare systems (similar to the Heartland B-Cycle system that has
existed in Omaha since 2011). With the sudden emergence of the dockless bikeshare industry in 2017
and then the rapid rise of dockless e-scooter companies in 2018, shared micro-mobility trips skyrock-
eted from about 35 million in 2017 to 136 million trips nationally in 2019. While national data is not
yet published for 2020, it is predicted that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on overall
ridership in the US, though the long-term outlook for the industry is positive.

Recognizing the volatility of the industry and the challenges posed by the introduction of hundreds
or thousands of scooters or bicycles available for rent on their streets, many cities have set up pilot
programs or permitting systems to manage and regulate the introduction of dockless micromobility
in their cities. Omaha drew lessons from these cities in crafting its own pilot program for dockless
shared scooters in 2019, and it made regulatory improvements for the second pilot in 2020.

Evaluating emerging transportation technologies like dockless shared scooters in Omaha is in line
with the overall goals of the City of Omaha Master Plan, which calls for providing “balanced options
for enhanced mobility” (Transportation Element 2012, p. 8). Also, The Environment Element of the
City of Omaha Master Plan (adopted 2010) included the following recommendation: “Expand the use
of low and moderate speed motorized urban vehicles (such as low speed electric vehicles, scooters,
electric bicycles, and future technologies), characterized by ultra-low emissions and extremely high
fuel efficiency, for appropriate urban trips” (p. 58). It appears that shared micromobility options will
be a part of the transportation ecosystem in Omaha and cities worldwide on a long-term basis, so it
will be important to continue to appropriately manage their impacts while maximizing their benefits
for urban mobility by better incorporating micromobility options into transportation planning, urban
design and engineering.

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION

DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 5
 City of Omaha
2020 E-Scooter Pilot

The City of Omaha entered into a second pilot that ran from July 2020 through November
2020. The second pilot was intended to help the City gain additional insight into the need
for additional forms of micromobility transportation. Additional information was to be
collected on the operators ability to contribute to the ongoing Metro Smart Cities Initiative
focusing on the following areas:

Make more efficient use of physical infrastructure through data analytics and artificial
intelligence to support a strong and healthy economic, social, and cultural develop-
ment

Learn, adapt, and innovate and thereby respond more effectively and promptly to
changing circumstances

Improve access to employment for the unemployed and underemployed

Promote community engagement and awareness of how transportation benefits our

region

Encourage mobility in multiple forms across the city

Revitalize the urban core

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 6

 Definitions
Definitions
“Shared Scooter” means a vehicle that:
• Is designed to be operated on the ground with a wheel diameter no greater than 16
inches
• Has handlebars and a foot support or seat for the user
• Can be propelled by an electric motor or human propulsion
• Is made available for rental or public shared use in the public right-of-way

“User” means a person who is in actual physical control of a Shared Scooter

Scooter Operator Selection Criteria

The City of Omaha reviewed and evaluated the proposals received to ensure that Scooter
Operators met the needs and goals of the program.

The criteria as published in the solicitation for proposals to operate electric scooters in
Omaha included:

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION

DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 7
Request for Proposals and Pilot Agreements
Agreements
Two operators submitted proposals to the City for the 2020 Scooter Pilot. Both companies were
granted permits to operate in Omaha - Bird and Spin. Operating agreements were signed between
them and the City. The terms and obligations of the pilot, included:
• Operators pay to use the
City’s right-of-way (Appli-
cation fee and idle/parking
fee)
• Fleet Size limited to 750
scooters per operator with
option to increase during
certain times
• Parking Regulations
• Data Sharing
• Speed Maximum (15 mph
electric assist maximum and
ability to designate slow-
speed zones)
• No ride/No Park Zones
(Geofencing used to prohibit
scooters in specific areas)
• Lights and Audible Signals
• Education and Outreach
Requirements Inclement
Weather
• Proof of Insurance
• Maintenance and Operation
Plan
• Safety History
• Hours of Operation (5:00am
to 10:30pm)

Electric Scooter Pilot Timeline

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 8

Riding an Electric Scooter in Omaha
Omaha
The cost to ride an e-scooter in Omaha for both operators was $1.00 to unlock the
scooter and $0.29 per minute for the duration of the ride. The minimum age allowed to ride a
scooter was 18, and the following regulations also applied to scooter use:

• Shared Scooter is to be ridden only on streets, and where available, in bike lanes or bike
paths and not on sidewalks, Pedestrian Throughway Zones, or areas designated by the City
to be closed for Shared Scooter traffic
• Shared Scooter shall not be ridden along multi-lane roads where the posted speed limit is 35
mph or more, unless in a designated bike lane or bike path
• Shared Scooter is to be ridden to the
right of street lanes and should offer
the right of way to bicycles on bike
lanes and bike paths
• Helmet use is encouraged when using
a Shared Scooter
• The vendor shall require Riders to
take a photo of the Shared Scooter
when they park at the end of the ride
• Riding responsibly, with courtesy and
respect, is required
• Riders are, at all times, to operate the
device in a manner consistent with
the City’s Code of Ordinances and
any other applicable laws, includ-
ing stopping at stop signs and traffic
lights, signaling turns and following
the direction of traffic
• Rider may be ticketed for operating
the device in a manner which violates
the City’s Municipal Code
• The company shall not make Shared
Scooters available for operation prior
to 5:00 a.m. or after 10:30 p.m., daily
• Prior to each rider’s first use of a
Shared Scooter, the Company shall
provide notice to each rider, through
a mobile application specific to the
City, of the rules, regulations and re-
quirements identified above

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 9

 Public Engagement and Education
Public Engagement and Rider Education was adapted through technology during this year’s pilot.
Bird and Spin implemented In-App tutorials and videos that their users were required to read or
watch before using an e-scooter. Information was also shared through social media and email. The
information shared covered the rules for safe riding including: Safe handling techniques, Riding &
Parking Rules, and recommending the use of helmets while riding. Scooter users could obtain free
helmets from both companies, needing only to pay for shipping and handling.

Both companies also used digital information to ensure their strategies were consistent with public
health guidelines including: Washing hands regularly and maintaining six feet of space between riders.

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 10

 2020 E-Scooter
Pilot Findings

A total of 36,283 trips were taken,

covering a distance of 50,613 miles
over 669,152 minutes (11,152 hours)
during the pilot period. The average
trip distance was 1.46 miles and the
average trip duration was 18 minutes
and 26 seconds. Trips during the
2020 pilot were concentrated in the
same four areas as 2019: Downtown,
Midtown, Aksarben and Benson.

Number of Riders
There were a total of 15,395 unique riders that used e-scooters during the pilot period.
The list below breaks down the number of trips taken by those users:

1 - 4 Rides 13,358

5 - 14 Rides 1,742

15 - 29 Rides 219

30 + Rides 76

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 11

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PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 14

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PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION St E-SCOOTER REPORT | 15

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PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 16

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Most Used Street Segments

South 10th Street and North 10th Street were the most heavily used street segments traveled
during the 2019 & 2020 pilots.

Trips by Day of the Week

Saturday and Sunday were the most popular days during the week for scooter riders. The weekday
rides were relatively evenly distributed Monday through Thursday with Friday being the busiest.

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 17

 Trips by Time of Day

The most popular times to rent a scooter were between 6 PM and 7 PM on Friday and Saturday.

Scooter Utilization

The average number of scooters available per day was 363, with an average utilization of 0.8 trips
per scooter per day. August had the highest average number of scooters available per day with
460 scooters available for rent per day. Overall, July had the highest average scooter utilization at
1.18 trips per scooter per day.

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 18

 Scooter Trips Each Month

Injuries
Park Omaha worked with the State of Nebraska DHHS to set up tracking of scooter related
accidents during the 2020 pilot period. There were a total of 28 accidents recorded during the
pilot. The injuries reported included: Upper extremity fracture or laceration, Head Injury (frac-
ture, laceration or concussion). Out of 84 respondents in a survey administered by the City,
three respondents stated they were in a scooter related accident. Two accidents were minor and
one was major, requiring a hospital visit.

Total Number of e-Scooter related Emergency Department visits per month

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 19

 Police Citations

During the 2020 pilot there were 2 warning citations issued by the Omaha Police De-
partment for Obstructing Traffic in September. During the 2019 Pilot the Omaha Po-
lice Department issued a total of 120 citations, including 62 warnings and 58 tickets.

Sidewalk Riding and Wrong-Way Riding

Pedestrian, bicycle, and scooter counts

were conducted during 2-hour inter-
vals during peak commuting hours at
28 locations in the downtown and mid-
town area during the 2019 scooter pilot.
During these counts, 49% of scooter rid-
ers counted were observed riding on the
sidewalk and 1.4% were observed riding
the wrong way in the street. These fig-
ures are similar for bicyclists, with 45%
of observed bicyclists riding on the side-
walk and 1.2% of bicyclists riding the
wrong way in the street. Counts were not
conducted during the 2020 scooter pilot,
as these manual counts are done every
two to three years. It should be noted
that while riding scooters on sidewalks
was prohibited by the terms of the 2019
pilot and by City ordinance during the
2020 pilot, it is legal to ride a bicycle on
sidewalks in the City of Omaha except
for in the Central Business District and
Old Market.

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 20

Bike Lanes and Scooter Trip Routes

The above map shows the trip ends along the current Omaha Bike Network.

Relationship with Bike Share System

The Omaha metro area is served by a dock-based bike share system called Heartland B-cycle, which is
operated by the non-profit Heartland Bike Share. The Heartland B-cycle system launched in 2011 and
as of December 2020 consisted of 74 stations and 428 bikes, 140 of which are electric pedal-assist
bikes (e-bikes). The bike share program primarily serves downtown and midtown Omaha but also has
stations in Council Bluffs, Iowa, as well as other communities throughout Omaha Metro (Papillion,
Chalco Hills, North & South Omaha) as well as Mahoney State Park. Users can sign up for a 24-hour,
monthly, or annual pass which enables them to check out a bike from any station and return it to any
station for an unlimited number of trips during their pass period. Trips over 1 hour incur overage fees.
In December of 2020, Heartland B-cycle entered into an Interlocal Agreement with the City of Oma-
ha formalizing a relationship in order to enhance transportation options.

The 2020 scooter pilot did not have a noticeable impact on Heartland B-cycle ridership or operations.
Heartland B-cycle ridership in 2020 hit an all-time high of 47,735 trips, about 64% of which were
e-bike trips, which were first introduced into the system in 2019.

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 21

 * Casual rider trips are trips taken by users who purchased the 24-hour pass, whereas member trips are trips by
users with a monthly or annual pass.

Mayor’s Hotline
The Mayor’s Hotline received a total of 31 phone calls and 12 emails regarding scooters during the
2020 pilot. During the 2019 pilot the hotline received 252 calls and 159 emails, letters or reports.
The majority of calls and emails received in 2020 were in regards to scooters being ridden and
parked on sidewalks.

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 22

 Scooter Survey
A survey was created by Park Omaha and shared through the City of Omaha and Park Omaha
websites, Park Omaha social media pages, and scooter operators platforms. The survey was
available from December 4th to December 18th. 84 people participated in the survey.

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 23

 Pilot Financials
The following fees were charged to scooter operators:

One-Time Pilot Program Permit: $7,000

Parking session duration fees: Calculated according to chart below

**Billing for the 2020 pilot changed from a per trip fee to a fee based on the duration a scooter remained parked in different zones**

* This is an estimate of expenses accrued by the City of Omaha.

Program Design, Administration, and Evaluation expense estimates included staff time spent on various tasks
including developing the RFP, regulations, and the monitoring and analyzing of scooter data in addition to
working with data aggregators.

During the 2020 pilot 11 citizens in the Omaha Metropolitan Area were employed full or part time by the scoot-
er operators, earning between $250,000 and $500,000. The 2019 pilot employed 28 citizens full or part time and
also had over 550 people earning money by signing up to charge the scooters. The same income amount was
generated during the 2019 pilot.

112 scooters were reported lost or damaged during the 2020 scooter pilot, compared to 73 during the 2019 pilot.

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 25

 Statistics and Data Collection
The statistics and data contained within this report and obtained during the pilot were found
through the following sources:

• Micro Mobility information from National Association of City Transportation Officials

(NATCO)

• Public Engagement and Education information submitted by scooter operators

• Scooter Data Data obtained through the Populus platform was collected through GBFS and
MDS API’s provided by the e-scooter operating companies between July and November
2020 (NOTE: Data covers the entire pilot program time period)

• Injury data submitted by the State of Nebraska DHHS

• Police Citation information provided by the Omaha Police Department

• Bikeshare data provided by Heartland Bike Share

• Scooter Feedback submitted to Mayor’s Hotline

• Survey created by Park Omaha and shared with the public through scooter operators and
city websites and social media

• Pilot Financials provided by City Departments and e-scooter operators

• Charts, Maps and Graphics were created in Microsoft Excel, ArcGIS Pro, respectively

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 26

 Conclusions and Recommendations

GOALS OF THE 2020 SCOOTER PILOT

1. Compare the findings from the 2019 pilot to this year’s and determine whether and how to
allow dockless shared scooter services on a longer term basis.

At the conclusion of the 2019 pilot which spanned six months it was found that addition-
al time was needed to gather more data that would be beneficial to determine the long
term need of scooters as a mobility option. With the ongoing impact of COVID-19 during
this year’s pilot we concentrated on looking at the data to determine whether the main use
of the scooters was for recreational purposes or as a primary form of transportation.

2. Implement and develop mechanisms for regulating dockless micro mobility devices, particu-
larly with regard to key issues of public safety and parking compliance

The City worked with the operators to make changes to their platforms to increase the
safety of riders by adding ID scans to the applications, increased use of engagement activ-
ities throughout the pilot, and visible reminders of regulations in mobile applications and
physically on scooters.

Scooter parking complaints were received again this year and additional measures, beyond
pricing strategy, could be put in place to ensure the issue of parking compliance is
addressed. One key component of a longer term program that is recommended by City
Staff is the use of micro mobility charging infrastructure (parking hubs) to further encour-
age riders to conclude their ride in an area designated by the City and the operator. A
departmental policy has been drafted in an effort to govern the use of this infrastructure
in future programs.

3. Use data from the Pilot to inform transportation planning decisions

Scooter data was collected in conjunction with bike ridership counts which can be used to
identify areas where potential micro mobility infrastructure can be added or updated to
create safe driving locations for all modes of micro mobility.

Scooter data can also be used to determine potential locations for mobility “hubs”, scoot-
er parking corrals, and permanent or semi permanent micro mobility traffic lanes which
can provide paths and connections between traditional and emerging transportation
modes.

The number of trips taken on e-scooters during the pilot has shown a demand in the City
of Omaha for alternative modes of transportation.

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 27

RECOMMENDATIONS
Multiple Departments within the City of Omaha have reviewed and evaluated the 2020 Scooter Pilot
and have formulated the following recommendations:

1. Long Term Program: Data from the 2019 and 2020 pilots support the conclusion that there is
demand for micro mobility transportation use in Omaha. As such, it is our recommendation
that the City of Omaha establish a one to four year agreement with one or more micro mobility
operators to maintain an e-scooter program modeled after the 2020 criteria for operations.

The long term program will include a continuing equity component that will require coordinat-
ed expansion of scooter availability in designated equity zones to help promote mobility to and
from these areas.

2. Scooter Parking and Advertisement Revenue: Continued concern regarding e-scooter parking
logistics and financial viability of a long term program necessitate a self supporting e-scooter
program that includes the use of e-scooter charging infrastructure and advertisement for the
support of the program. To this end, it is our recommendation that an internal policy govern-
ing the use and placement of such infrastructure and provision for advertisement revenue be
established.

3. Application and Right-of-Way Use Fees: An understanding of multiple methodologies and fee
structures for micro mobility uses in the United States and particularly in the City of Omaha
have led to our recommendation that the following fees be adopted for a long term program:
a. Standard Operator Application Fee
b. Minimal per ride fee
c. Ongoing right-of-way use/idol fee
(Use fee will be adjusted based on operating hours and designated zone costs)
4. Comprehensive approach to micro mobility: As micro mobility continues to evolve we have

seen a benefit in taking an approach that allows for the citizens of Omaha to have options in
their daily transportation and recreational needs. Therefore, we would recommend that this
approach, to allow for multiple types of mobility, be adopted by the City of Omaha on its
roadways, bikeways, and trail systems to ensure that its citizenry is gaining the best benefit
from public infrastructure.

Additional Recommendations for improving infrastructure to support micro mobility

options:
• Support implementation of pilot projects for improved bikeways in the urban core, like the
Market to Midtown bikeway planned for Harney Street in 2021-2022.
• Continue to incorporate bike lanes into street resurfacing projects when feasible.
• Identify and implement “low-hanging fruit” opportunities, especially in the urban core,
where bike lanes could be striped in the short-term without requiring any significant chang-
es to existing striping, signals, curbs, etc.
• Develop a strategic mobility plan for the downtown area, focusing on improving walkability
and bikeability and identifying streets where some of the right-of-way could be repurposed
to provide dedicated bicycle lanes, improved sidewalks and streetscaping, etc. This planning
effort could be done in conjunction with the upcoming City of Omaha Bicycle and Pedes-
trian Master Plan effort anticipated to begin in late 2021.
• Evaluate strategic locations for new public bike racks, prioritizing installation in business
districts and new mixed use areas.

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 28

 APPENDIX
The documents listed below can be found at:
http://www.parkomaha.com/mobility/scooters

A. Scooter Pilot RFP

B. Dockless Shared Scooter Operating Agreements

B.

C. Metro Smart Cities Initiative

PARKING & MOBILITY DIVISION E-SCOOTER REPORT | 29

 Acknowledgements and Contributions

Parking and Mobility Manager: Ken Smith

Pilot Project Team: Hannah Adeponu, Kevin Carder,

Jacob Larson, Derek Miller, Brandon Patocka

Graphics by: Stephanie Paul

Report Policy and Content Review: Populus

Special Thanks to: Stephanie Seki

Photography by: Spin, Bird

Contributors: City of Omaha Law Department, City

of Omaha Parks and Recreation Department, City of
Omaha Planning Department, City of Omaha Police
Department, City of Omaha Public Works Department,
City of Omaha Parking and Mobility Division, City of
Omaha Traffic Division, Douglas County GIS, Mayor’s
Office, Heartland Bike Share

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